This guy is probably going to be executed because of his Tweets

by Salman Hameed

At a theoretical level, we can analyze the reasons why freedom of speech can be a tricky issue for nations for various reasons. We can also see why more and more cases coming to light on the struggle for individual rights versus the state in many Muslim countries. We can see that individuals are pushing the boundaries of expression and the states - resisting change - are pushing back.

And then of course, there is Saudi "women-still-can't-drive" Arabia. Just this past December, the government there executed a woman on the charges of sorcery. The life of Lebanese TV host was spared on similar charges after severe pressure from the international community. He spend "only" two years in jail - waiting to see if he will be executed this week or the next. And there are countless other cases like this. And no - please don't try to provide any defense for this kind of barbarity.

Now we have the case of 23-year old Hamza Kashgari. Yup 23 years old. He has just been extradited from Malaysia to Saudi Arabia - where is likely going to face execution.

Shame on Malaysia! He was trying to go to New Zealand and was arrested in transit. Initially it was reported that Interpol arrested him - but now it turns out that it was the work of just Malaysians.

Oh - wait. You might ask that he must be a dangerous criminal if he is going to be executed back in Saudi Arabia. After all, there is Facebook campaign calling for his execution. Is he a serial killer on the loose.

Well...he offended people via his tweets. He is deemed to have insulted the Prophet (PBUH). Even setting apart the fact that people can call for execution for such things in the 21st century, how must he have said in the limited twitter space? Were his tweets full of profanity?

Here are some of his offending tweets from Al-Akhbar:

Below are the controversial tweets posted by Hamza Kashgari along with their English translations. 

On your birthday, I will say that I loved the rebel in you, which always inspired me. But I didn’t like the aura of holiness, I will not bless you.On your birthday, I see you in my face everywhere I turn. I will say that I loved some things in you, hated some things, and I did not understand many other things.
On your birthday, I will not bow to you. I won’t kiss your hands. I will shake hands with you as an equal, and smile at you like you smile at me, and talk to you only as a friend, nothing more.

Burn him. Kill him. Tie him at the stake. 

An obscene number of people were killed in the witch trials from 16th-18th centuries. The estimates of witch-executions range from 40,000-60,000 people - most of them older women. I'm glad that Saudi Arabia has a low population. In addition, I doubt that the current monarchy's efforts to keep Saudi Arabia in the middle ages will last very long. Otherwise, the protectors of the Holy Land have the pre-requisites to match the brutal record of the pre-modern Europe. 

We have to stand up and raise our voice on this issue. If there is a facebook group calling for his execution - then I hope a lot lot more people can join together to eclipse these insane voices. You can at least join Save Hamza Kashgari Facebook page. If you know of a single petition place, add that in the comments.